If you could manage the cold start, you would have been treated to a great route, rapidly warming temps, new roads, strong tail winds on the back end of the route and great scenery on Saturday's COP Roving Ride. Now, about that start. It put some of us in a quandary, it being the first "cold" temperature start of the off season and our memory of what to wear for such starts, long gone. I chose poorly and left the parking lot with one too many layers. Out of the roughly 35 people who came out for the ride, maybe 15-18 departed with us, including some guys rarely seen on Saturday rides such as Joe G, Kevin S, Greg D, Rich R and Bob S. It was good to have them in the mix but I suspect the off season pace may have been too slow for that crew. I overuse descriptions such as "Mother of...", Son of...., Brother of....." to describe how one climb or route compares to a standard bearer but it is fair to say this route was at least a distant cousin of a CFC route. I thought by now we'd be doing loops through the flat plains around Buckeye Lake but no, yet another knee buckler route. We departed the church via Coonpath and got on to Rainbow and took that in to Lancaster with the climb on Stringtown included. The route through the city was a little confusing and I immediately wondered how the route challenged Kendas would manage it as they missed the start.

We cruised through Sugar Grove and I gave silent thanks as we passed Savage and Bauman roads, before crossing 33, eventually reacquiring it and then climbing Opossum Hollow, down to 374, making a left and then a quick right up another climb, back to 33 through a cemetery (seemed fitting), through and up Wild Cat Road, Starr Route, Kreashbuam, another climb before gasping with relief as we stopped.....

at this classic stop, Grandma Fayes, where we had some fun with the bear.

We lost Dan Farley to the 78 mile shortcut but those that remained, Mark C, Jeff S, Mitch O, Flyin Tuna, Corvair, Mark V, Maya, Reynoldsburg Dan, plodded on via the 98 mile route. George too was there, sometimes not, flitting in and out of the group. From Grandma Fayes, we go onto some unfamiliar roads ( Pretty Run, Macedonia, Narrows, etc..) that included a climb with a patch of heavy gravel. So thick was the gravel, Flyin T unclipped, forcing other to do as well and we began pushing our bikes. I suddenly realized what a great pic opportunity this was and grabbed for my camera. In so doing, I dumped the camera, cash and coins on the ground. Mitch offered to hold my bike while I gathered stuff and I suggested he make himself especially helpful by also pushing it, while at the same time doing it to his own bike. Now I had the perfect opportunity, Tuna pushing a bike up a hill and Mitch O pushing two bikes! Unfortunately, the camera's charge had run out. We eventually took a stop in Laurelville before moving on, finishing with 96 miles and 4600' of climbing

Great route, good weather but tell the two ladies that filling every minute with idiotic chatter takes away from the experience. Don't know how you guys put up with that nonsence every ride. Tell them they should slot in with the Dutch Kitchen ride where that type of behavior is suitable.

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Dude...

10/13/2012 11:36:40 am

Like, this is a social ride. If you are with a group that's doing something that bothers you simply drop back or speed up and put some distance between you and them. Sorry about your ears and low IQ.

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Still Hurts

10/13/2012 11:56:01 am

We did leave. It was like fingernails across a chalk board. Don't know how you high IQ types can take it for 4-5 hours.

Greg

10/14/2012 12:13:05 pm

Still Hurts - your comments are mean-spirited and uncalled-for. I hope that Mark will consider deleting this entire string of comments. They go well beyond the kidding and good-natured spirit of the blog.

While The Others were unable to maintain the pace of the main group during the ride, we would be thrilled to ride with a girl, any girl. We haven't ridden with a girl in years. There is a reason for that, we just don't know what it is. At one time we had pestered Cindy about riding with us, until she got that restraining order.

Kudos to Jeff and Mark on a fantastic route with a great map and bathroom facilities at the start. Wildcat Hollow Rd. has got to be one of the prettiest spots in Ohio this time of year. We thought we had done all the climbs in the area, and you threw in a couple new ones.

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Cindy

10/14/2012 10:11:42 pm

They weren't supposed to tell you about the restraining order...... Group riding has it's good and bad issues, you just have to decide if the good outweighs the bad. It's a personal decision that each cyclist makes. We all have quirks that irritate others; just ask anyone in our group how irritating I can be :). And, I always enjoy any riding time with my friends "The Others".

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Corvair

10/14/2012 11:17:30 pm

"Ears Hurting" I can only imagine that your rides are isolated and mostly by yourself. There's a reason we call it a social ride.

Sooooooooo

10/15/2012 04:28:37 am

by "good and bad issues" you seem to be acknowledging your support of the bitter and mean spirited comments made by the poster? Do you Mrs Berard, in fact, support those views and additionally, it appears that from your last sentence, you are fishing for an invite to join The Others. If an invitation was extended, would you leave our group ride and become the star of a new group, "Flyin Tuna & The Others"? Very curious are your comments and has me wondering.

Girls

10/15/2012 11:23:53 am

Most of us get tired of being called a girl when we reach 16. After that it is lady or woman. Like, the girls referenced in your email stopped being girls 30-40 years ago.

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Bikerdude

10/15/2012 04:19:26 am

The funny thing about social rides is that the unsocial ones don't show up again. Lets hope that this is the case this time.......

Miss riding with you guys, laugh this asshat off...

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Kevin H.

10/15/2012 07:31:51 am

WOW.....Looks like I missed a rather interesting ride, and I am sure some good conversation :) It was my wife's birthday, and I had fun "filling every minute with idiotic chatter" and yes we ate at the Dutch Kitchen ;)

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Mark V

10/15/2012 11:09:55 am

There certainly was a lot of chatter and I enjoyed every bit of it. It added to the day's sunshine. I sure wish I could talk and climb hills at the same time.

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My Ears Hurt Too

10/15/2012 11:19:35 am

If Cindy goes with that other group, will she take Amanda also, please? Talking is good. babbling is ok but non stop chirping for 100 miles is to much.

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Chirper

10/15/2012 11:04:34 pm

If you don't like me chirping then ride somewhere else.

Chirper

10/15/2012 11:05:26 pm

And learn how to spell. It's TOO much not TO.

Sarge

10/15/2012 06:59:49 pm

Would have loved to join you guys for the chatter...I miss the social..only problem is that I most likely would have been wheezing, just trying to keep up with you guys, and all you would get out of me would be squeaks, which would have annoyed "ears hurting" even more :) ...and never mind trying to talk while going up hills...yeah right! Need to see these new roads sometime. Anyone have a gps version?

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Cindy

10/16/2012 06:17:49 am

Just got back from PA where I was visiting my Aunt who is in hospice care with cancer. Can we just put things into a little perspective? I enjoyed the ride on Saturday; it was a beautiful day and beautiful route. I also enjoy the group I rode with. See you all next time and let's forget all of this, we all have enough drama in our days without adding to it on weekend bike rides.

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Kevin H.

10/16/2012 06:24:13 am

Cindy, sorry to hear about your Aunt, you and your family are in my prayers.

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Observer

10/17/2012 03:12:25 am

Makes ya wonder why we still read this asshole's blog.

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Mark

10/17/2012 11:59:44 am

Makes me wonder why you come here to read and then hide behind anonymous comments. The blog is what it is and you should not come here to read it.

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Mark is a long-time cyclist who enjoys poking fun at himself but most especially at his friends. No nicknames or comments are intended to offend, accept them in the humor they are intended.